Chapter 7 - THE OTHER BLACKWOODAdrian's plan was simple.
Force Victor into the open.
Expose the network.
Destroy everyone who had profited from it.
But Adrian had forgotten one thing.
Children were not chess pieces.
He took Ethan to St. Casimir's Church.
Lily and Naomi followed.
The church was dark.
A freight train screamed beyond the walls.
Adrian stood above the choir loft holding Ethan.
"I want the drive."
Lily raised her hands.
"Give me the baby."
Adrian smiled.
"You sound like Elena."
"Stop using her name."
"You have her courage."
"No."
Lily's voice hardened.
"I have her mistakes."
Adrian looked at her.
That answer surprised him.
Lily climbed the stairs.
Adrian allowed it.
Then she saw the device attached to Ethan.
A heart-rate trigger.
If Adrian died, explosives would detonate.
Naomi lowered her weapon.
Nobody could shoot.
Lily negotiated.
Adrian finally handed Ethan to her.
The baby immediately reached for her.
But then the lights came on.
Detective Bell stepped from the shadows.
"Nobody moves."
He had been waiting.
He wanted the drive.
He wanted Ethan.
He wanted the entire conspiracy to end with Lily as the criminal.
The church became chaos.
Bell fired.
Adrian ran.
Naomi fought back.
Lily escaped with Ethan.
But before Adrian disappeared, he whispered:
May you like
"Victor is not the man you think he is."
The words followed Lily out into the night.
Related Stories
